Round-about game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A round-about toy game apparatus wherein the object is to knock off a moving target from its path of travel. The game generally includes a housing having a platform, a track associated with the platform defining a target path of travel, a target removably mounted on the track, a drive mechanism for moving the target relative to the platform, and a striking element adjacent the track for knocking the moving target passing thereby off the track. The striking element is in the form of an inverted Lshaped member having a horizontal leg extending over the platform at the same height as the target perpendicular to the track and a downwardly extending vertical leg. The L-shaped member is mounted on the housing so that the horizontal leg is movable between a normally retracted position away from the target path of travel and a striking position intersecting the target path of travel. The game also includes a blocking element capable of halting the progress of travel of a moving target and a spring wound timer mechanism employed to actuate the blocking element after a given amount of time.

United States Patent [191 Breslow et al.

[ ROUND-ABOUT GAME APPARATUS [75] Inventors: Jeffrey Dale Breslow, Highland Park;

Eugene Jaworski, Park Ridge, both of III.

[73] Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates, Chicago,

Ill.

22 Filed: Feb. 16,1972

211 App]. No.: 226,738

Jobson 272/47 Broomfield 273/1 E l ,l09,42 l 2,280,623

Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Paul E. Shapiro Atl0rney.|ames F. Coffee et al.

451 Aug. 28, 1973 57] ABSTRACT A round-about toy game apparatus wherein the object is to knock off a moving target from its path of travel. The game generally includes a housing having a platform, a track associated with the platform defining a target path pf travel, a target removably mounted on the track, a drive mechanism for moving the target relative to the platform, and a striking element adjacent the track for knocking the moving target passing thereby off the track. The striking element is in the form of an inverted L-shaped member having a horizontal leg extending over the platform at the same height as the target perpendicular to the track and a downwardly extending vertical leg. The L-shaped member is mounted on the housing so thatthe horizontal leg is movable between a normally retracted posi' tion away from the target path of travel and a striking position intersecting the target path of travel. The game also includes a blocking element capable of halting the progress of travel of a moving target and a spring ywound timer mechanism'employed to actuate the blocking element after a given amount of time.

17 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 28, 1973 23 Sheets-Shoot 1:

ROUND-ABOUT GAME APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to amusement devices and more particularly to round-about toy games where the object is to hit a moving target thereon.

2. Description of the Prior Art Round-about type toys have enjoyed a great deal of popularity through the years. These toys usually consist of a figure traveling a given circuitous path on a platform. These type of toys have been modified for use in games. The object of many of these games is to hit a moving target or hit a stationary target while moving in relation thereto. An example of the latter'type of game is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,582,077.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The principal object of this invention is to provide a toy game which, by turning a wheel, will produce animated movement of a figure with respect to a surface. The device requires skill on the part of the operator in effecting contact between the moving figure and a striking element, the moving figure comprising a target.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a toy having a blocking element capable of stopping the movement of the target figure and a timer mechanism associated with it to actuate the blocking element after a given amount of time.

These and other objects are accomplished in one form of the invention currently contemplated by providing a housing having a platform, a track associated with the platform defining the target path of travel, a target that is removably mounted on the track, drive means for moving the target relative to the platform and scoring means in a striking element for knocking a moving target passing thereby off the track. The striking element is movable between a normally retracted BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS line 33 of FIG. 2; pp FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken I generally along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken generally along the line -5 of FIG. 4; and

- the top of the upstanding support member 22 by means position away from the target path of travel and a strik- 7 ing position intersecting the target path of travel.

In the preferred embodiment, a track is mounted for rotation in a circular slot in the platform. The drive means is selectively variable and rotates the track relative to the platform at different rates of speed. The striking means is a horizontal elongated member mounted over the platform at the same height as the target, perpendicular to the track, and is movable between a normally retracted position and a striking position. Selectively operable control means is operably connected to the horizontal member, for moving the horizontal member from retracted position to a striking position.

The invention also generally includes stop means for stopping the movement of a moving target. The stop means has a horizontal blocking element capable of extending and overlying the target path of travel. The blocking element is movable between a normally neutral position wherein the blocking element is away from the target path of travel, and a blocking position wherein the blocking element intersects the target path of travel. The stop means also includes a wound timer mechanism associated with the blocking element to rotate the element from a neutral to a blocking position after a given amount of time.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the target and its supporting member employed in the game shown in FIG. 1.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail a specific embodiment therefor, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning to FIG. 1 in greater detail, the game of this invention is seen to include a round-about type of toy, generally designated 10. The toy has a housing, generally designated 12, supported on a plurality of horizontal legs 14 extending outwardly from the bottom thereof. The housing 12 has a flat platform 16 witha closed. endless, preferably circular slot 18 formed therein for receiving a closed endless, preferably circular track means 20 for rotation in the slot 18.

The track means 20 has fixed thereto an upstanding support member 22 in the form of a simulated robber secured thereto. A target 24 in the form of a simulated money bag is magnetically and detachably attached to of magnet 22a in the member 22 and magnet 24a in the target 24.

Selectively variable drive means, generally designated 26, are provided in the housing 12, and are associated with a crank 28 to rotate the track means 20. The rotating track means 20 is capable of moving the target 24 in a circular path relative to the platform 16 at different rates of speed.

Scoring means, generally designated 30, is provided to knock the target 24 of the upstanding member 22. The scoring means 30 has a striking element 32 mounted on the platform 16 adjacent the track means 20 and is operably connected to selectively operable control means 34 in the housing l2. The striking element 32 is movable between a normally retracted position away from the target path of travel, as shown in FIG. I, a striking position intersecting the target path of travel. When the striking element 32 is actuated, it is capable of knocking the target 24 off the upstanding member 22, producing a score thereby.

Stop means, generally designated 36, is employed for stopping the movement of a moving target 24 after a given period of time. The object of the game is to traverse the target 24 knocked off the upstanding member 22 by the scoring means 30 before the stop means 36 stops the travel of the moving target.

The track means 20 has a plurality of downwardly extending gear teeth 38 formed on the bottom surface thereof and generally defining a rack. The variable drive means 26 is operably associated with gear teeth 38 to drive the track means 20 in a closed endless path,

preferably circular path, about the platform 16. To this end, the drive means 26 generally has a horizontal shaft 40 mounted for rotation inside the housing 12 between two spaced apart ears 42 and 44 extending downwardly from the bottom surface of the platform 16 on either side of the track means 20. A pinion gear 46 is secured between ears 42 and 44 to the horizontal shaft 40 for rotation therewith and is disposed for meshing engagement with the gear teeth 38 formed on the bottom of the track means 20. The horizontal shaft 4(lextends out of the housing 12 and forms the crank 28 for rotating the pinion gear 46. When the crank 28 is rotated in the fashion above described, the track means 20, the upstanding member 22 and the target 24 are moved relative to the platform 16.

The striking element 32 is an inverted L-shaped member having a vertical elongated member 48 which joins a horizontal elongated member 50 and extends downwardly therefrom. The vertical member 48 is mounted in a vertically upstanding enclosure 52 onthe platform 16. The horizontal member 50 extends through an opening 54 in the enclosure 52 and is slidingly supported on an open-ended guide cylinder 56 attached to the side of a figure of a simulated policeman 58.

The L-shaped striking element 32 is pivotally supported at the bottom of the vertical member 48 on a pin 60 mounted between two horizontally extending spaced apart ears 62 and 64 formed on the inside of the enclosure 52. When the striking elem'ent32 is pivoted about pin 60 it is movable between a retracted position and a striking position.

The vertical member 48 has a downwardly canted portion 66 extending therefrom. The downwardly canted portion 66 is supported by the control means 34 in the form of an elongated horizontal control member which is mounted in the housing 12. The control member 34 is pivotally supported on a pin 68 received therethrough which is mounted between two spaced ears 70 and 72 extending downwardly from the bottom surface of the platform 16. The horizontal control member 34 supports the L-shaped striking element 32 at the free end of the vertical member 48. The other.

end of the control member 34 extends out of the housing 12, as best shown in FIG. 4, for manual up and down manipulation.

Pushing the outwardly extending end of the control member 34 downwardly causes pivoting thereof. The pivoting of the control member 34 causes the L-shaped striking element 32 to pivot about the pin 60. Pivoting of the L-saped striking element 32 causes the horizontal elongated member 50 to move between a retracted to a striking position.

Because of the downwardly canted portion 66, the horizontal member 50 is allowed to remain in a striking position only a short period of time after actuation by the control member 34. This is because the canted portion 66 frictionally slides downwardly against the end of the control member 34 after the control member is pivoted as above described. This prevents the horizontal member 50 from continually intersecting the target path of travel for more than a relative short period of time.

The stop means 36 generally includes a main vertical shaft 74 which is rotatably mounted on the platform 16 extending upwardly and downwardly therefrom. A winding cap 76 is secured to the top of the main vertical shaft 74, having a blocking element 78 extending horizontally therefrom a distance sufficient to intersect the target path of travel. The blocking element 78 is movable between a normally neutral position, as shown in FIG. 1, when the blocking element is away from the target path of travel, and a blocking position when the blocking element 78 is intersecting the target path of travel across the track means 20.

The stop means 36 also includes a spring wound timer mechanism, generally designated 80, beneath the platform 16 associated with the main vertical shaft 74 to rotate the blocking element 78 from a neutral to a blocking position after a given amount of time. The timer mechanism 80 is suitably fastened, as by rivets 82, to the inner surface of the platform 16.

Turning to FIGS. 2 and 3, the timer mechanism 80 generally includes a supporting frame structure 84 having aligned openings in opposite walls thereof to rotatably receive the main vertical shaft 74 and three additional vertical shafts 86, 88 and 90 which support elements of a gear train. A coil spring 92 is fixed to the main vertical shaft 74 and has an end portion 94 fixed to the frame 84 to yieldingly resist the turning of the main vertical shaft 74 and urge rotation thereof in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 2.

Keyed to the main vertical shaft 74 is a segmented gear 96 having its toothed portion in position for engagement with a speed reduction gear train, generally designated 98. Gear train 98 includes a pinion gear 100 mounted on shaft 86 for engagement with segmented gear 96 which is movably received in a slotted portion 102 of the frame 84. Also fixed on the shaft 86 is another larger gear 104 which engages another pinion gear 106 mounted on the adjacent shaft 88. By virtue of the gear train 98, shaft ,88 rotates at a slower rate than main vertical shaft 74. Shaft 88 also has a star gear 108 rotatably mounted thereon adapted to engage a bifurcated element 110 having its mid-portion disposed for pivotal rotation relative to shaft 90.

The winding of the cap 76 and the main vertical shaft 74 (clockwise in FIG. 2) causes the segmented gear 96 to rotate which, in turn, moves the pinion gear 100 in the slot 102 and out of engagement with pinion 106. As the cap 76 is released, the biasing operation of the coil spring 92, i.e., the unwinding of the spring and its pressure against the frame 84 on the main vertical shaft 74, causes the segmented gear 96 to move counterclockwise in engagement with the pinion 100. At this point, the shaft 86 is lowered in the slot 102 to place the gear 104 in meshing engagement with the second pinion 106 and thereby cause the gear train 98 to operate.

As the star gear 108 rotates, it alternately strikes opposite ends of the bifurcated element 110 to provide a governor for regulating the speed and also create a noise similar to a ticking sound. When the segmented gear 96 reaches the endof its engagement with the pinion 100, the blocking element 78 secured to the main vertical shaft 74 is thereby released to rotate with the shaft from a neutral position to a blocking position.

The housing 12 is preferably of molded plastic as is the upstanding portion 22 of the target 24 and the track means 20. The necessary gear teeth on these parts can be formed integral with the part. The bottom of the target 24 and the top of the upstanding member 22 can be magnets of opposite polarity and are of such a strength they can be easily knocked off by actuation of the scoring means 30 as above described.

The play of the game is relatively simple and may be enjoyed by two players. One player controls the crank 28 of the variable drive means 26 while the other player controls the control means 34.

The cap 76 of the stop means 36 is wound up in a manner above described at the beginning of a turn." Upon release of the cap 76, the player operating the crank 28 of the drive means 26 rotates the target 24 around the platform 16. The speed of the target 24 is directly proportionate to the speed that the player cranks the drive means 26.

Each time the target 24 passes near the end of the horizontal member 50, the player operating the control means 34 actuates the scoring means 30 in an attempt to knock the target 24 off the support member 22. If the player operating the control means 34 is successful, the player operating the drive means 26 receives no score. If the player operating the drive means 26 successfully traverses the target path of travel without having his target 24 knocked from the support member 22, he receives a score representative of the number of times he has circled the platform 16 and before the stop means 36 ends a turn. Thus, a player operating the drive means 26 is encouraged to rotate his target 24'as quickly as possible to traverse as many revolutions around the platform 16 as possible. After a given number of turns the player successfully traversing the greatest number of turns without having his target 24 knocked off the support member 22 is declared the winner of the game.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

We claim:

1. A game apparatus comprising:

a housing having a platform; 1

track means associated with the platform defining a target path of travel; i

a target removably mounted on said track means an extending upwardly therefrom; drive means associated with the target for moving the target relative to said platform; and

scoring means mounted on the housing including an inverted generally L-shaped member having'a horizontal leg extending over the platform at the same height as the target perpendicular to the track means and a downwardly extending vertical leg, said L-shaped member being mounted on the housing so that the horizontal leg is movable between a normally retracted position away from the target path of travel and a striking position intersecting the target path of travel, said scoring means further including selectively operable control means operably connected to the L-shaped member for moving said horizontal leg from a retracted position to a striking position whereby a moving target is knocked off the track means.

2. The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein the platform has an elongated slot formed therein and the track means is mounted in said slot for movement therein, said drive means moving the track means in the slot.

3. The game apparatus of claim 2 wherein said slot and track means define a closed endless path.

4 The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive means is selectively variable to move the target at different rates of speed.

5. The game apparatus of claim 4 wherein the track means has gear teeth formed on the bottom thereof and said drive means includes a horizontal shaft mounted for rotation inside the housing below the track means and a pinion gear secured to the horizontal shaft for rotation therewith and being disposed for meshing engagement with the gear teeth formed on the bottom of the track means, said horizontal shaft having a crank portion extending out of the housing to rotate the pinion gear whereby the track means and the target are moved relative to the platform.

6. The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control means includes an elongated horizontal control member pivotally mounted in the housing having one end extending outside the housing and the other end supporting the L-shaped member at the free end of the vertical member whereby pivoting of the control member causes pivoting of the L-shaped member from a retracted to a striking position.

7. The game apparatus of claim 6 wherein the vertical leg has a downwardly canted portion extending therefrom resting on the end of the control member, whereby the horizontal leg is allowed to remain in a striking position a short period of time after actuation.

8. The game apparatus of claim 1 including stop means mounted adjacent said track for stopping the movement of a moving target after a given amount of time.

9. The game apparatus of claim 8 wherein said stop means includes a vertical shaft rotatably mounted on said platform and-a blocking element extending horizontally from the vertical shaft a distance sufficient to intersect the target path of travel, said stop means being movable between normally neutral position when the blocking element is away from the target path of travel and a blocking position when the blocking element is rotated from the neutral position to intersect the target path of travel, said stop'means being capable of blocking the progress of travel of a moving target when in a blocking position.

10. The game apparatus of claim 9 wherein said stop means includes a spring wound timer. mechanism beneath said platform associated with the vertical shaft to rotate the-stop means from a neutral to a blocking position after a given passage of time. I

11. The game apparatus of claim 10 wherein said timer mechanism includes:

a frame below the platform rotatably supporting the A vertical shaft;

a coil spring encircling the vertical shaft and disposed relative to the shaft and said frame to yieldingly resist turning of the shaft in a given direction;

a segmented gear fixed to said vertical shaft for rotation therewith;

a speed reduction gear train carried by the frame in-' cluding a first gear disposed for meshing engagement with said segmented gear;

a star gear rotatable with said gear train; and

a bifurcated element pivotally mounted on the frame in position for alternating engagement of its end portions with spaced apart teeth on aid star wheel.

12. A game apparatus comprising:

a housing having a platform with a circular slot formed therein;

circular track means mounted in said slot for rotation therein and having an upstanding support member;

a target removably mounted on said upstanding support member;

selectively variable drive means associated with the track means for rotating the track means and moving the target relative to said platform at different rates of speed;

scoring means mounted on the housing including a horizontal elongated member mounted over the platform at the same height as the target perpendicular to the track means being movable between a normally retracted position away from the target path of travel and a striking position intersecting the target path of travel and selectively operable control means operably connected to the horizontal member for moving said horizontal member from a retracted position to a striking position whereby a moving target is knocked off the support member; and

stop means for stopping the movement of a moving target including a vertical shaft rotatably mounted on said platform and a blocking element extending horizontally from the vertical shaft a distance sufficient to intersect the target path of travel and being movable between a normally neutral position when the blocking element is away from the target path of travel and a blocking position when the blocking element is intersecting the target path of travel, said stop means further including a spring wound timer mechanism beneath said platform associated with the vertical shaft to rotate the stop means from a neutral to a blocking position after a given amount of time.

13. The game apparatus of claim 12 wherein the track means has gear teeth formed on the bottom thereof and said drive means includes a horizontal shaft mounted for rotation inside the housing below the track means and a pinion gear secured to the horizontal shaft for rotation therewith and being disposed for meshing engagement with the gear teeth formed on the bottom of the track means, said horizontal shafthaving a crank portion extending out of the housing to rotate the pinion gear whereby the track means and the target are moved relative to the platform.

14. The game apparatus of claim 12 wherein said scoring means further includes a vertical elongated member joining the horizontal member at the end opposite the contact end and extending downwardly therefrom, said vertical member forming with the horizontal member an inverted L-shaped member, said L- shaped member being pivotally mounted on said hous ing whereby movement of the control means pivots the horizontal member from a retracted to a striking position.

15. The game apparatus of claim 14 wherein said control means includes an elongated horizontal control member pivotally mounted in the housing having one end extending outside the housing and the other end supporting the L-shaped member at the free end of the vertical member whereby pivoting of the control member causes pivoting of the L-shaped member from a retracted to a striking position.

16. The game apparatus of claim 15 wherein the vertical member has a downwardly canted portion extending therefrom resting on the end of the control member, whereby the horizontal member is allowed to remain in a striking position a short period of time after actuation.

17. The game apparatus of claim 12 wherein said timer mechanism includes:

a frame below the platform rotatably supporting the vertical shaft;

a coil spring encircling the vertical shaft and disposed relative to the shaft and said frame to yieldingly resist turning of the shaft in a given direction;

a segmented gear fixed to said vertical shaft for rotation therewith;

a speed reduction gear train carried by the frame including a first gear disposed for meshing engagement with said segmented gear;

a star gear rotatable with said gear train; and

a bifurcated element pivotally mounted on the frame in position for alternating engagement of its end portions with spaced apart teeth on said star wheel.

t is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 7, after Fig. 2;" delete pp-. "Fig. 4 is a sectional view should be a new paragraph.

Column 3, line 52, "L-saped" should read Lshaped--.

Column 5, line 41, delete "an" and substitute -and.

Column 6, line 62, delete "aid' and substitute -said--.

Signed and sealed this 27th day of November 1973.

Attestz EDWARD MJFLETCHERNR. RENE D. TEGTMEYER Attesting Officer Acting Commissioner of Patents 

1. A game apparatus comprising: a housing having a platform; track means associated with the platform defining a target path of travel; a target removably mounted on said track means an extending upwardly therefrom; drive means associated with the target for moving the target relative to said platform; and scoring means mounted on the housing including an inverted generally L-shaped member having a horizontal leg extending over the platform at the same height as the target perpendicular to the track means and a downwardly extending vertical leg, said L-shaped member being mounted on the housing so that the horizontal leg is movable between a normally retracted position away from the target path of travel and a striking position intersecting the target path of travel, said scoring means further including selectively operable control means operably connected to the L-shaped member for moving said horizontal leg from a retracted position to a striking position whereby a moving target is knocked off the track means.
 2. The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein the platform has an elongated slot formed therein and the track means is mounted in said slot for movement therein, said drive means moving the track means in the slot.
 3. The game apparatus of claim 2 wherein said slot and track means define a closed endless path. 4 The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive means is selectively variable to move the target at different rates of speed.
 5. The game apparatus of claim 4 wherein the track means has gear teeth formed on the bottom thereof and said drive means includes a horizontal shaft mounted for rotation inside the housing below the track means and a pinion gear secured to the horizontal shaft for rotation therewith and being disposed for meshing engagement with the gear teeth formed on the bottom of the track means, said horizontal shaft having a crank portion extending out of the housing to rotate the pinion gear whereby the track means and the target are moved relative to the platform.
 6. The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control means includes an elongated horizontal control member pivotally mounted in the housing having one end extending outside the housing and the other end supporting the L-shaped member at the free end of the vertical member whereby pivoting of the control member causes pivoting of the L-shaped member from a retracted to a striking position.
 7. The game apparatus of claim 6 wherein the vertical leg has a downwardly canted portion extending therefrom resting on the end of the control member, whereby the horizontal leg is allowed to remain in a striking position a short period of time after actuation.
 8. The game apparatus of claim 1 including stop means mounted adjacent said track for stopping the movement of a moving target after a given amount of time.
 9. The game apparatus of claim 8 wherein said stop means includes a vertical shaft rotatably mounted on said platform and a blocking element extending horizontally from the vertical shaft a distance sufficient to intersect the target path of travel, said stop means being movable between normally neutral position when the blocking element is away from the target path of traveL and a blocking position when the blocking element is rotated from the neutral position to intersect the target path of travel, said stop means being capable of blocking the progress of travel of a moving target when in a blocking position.
 10. The game apparatus of claim 9 wherein said stop means includes a spring wound timer mechanism beneath said platform associated with the vertical shaft to rotate the stop means from a neutral to a blocking position after a given passage of time.
 11. The game apparatus of claim 10 wherein said timer mechanism includes: a frame below the platform rotatably supporting the vertical shaft; a coil spring encircling the vertical shaft and disposed relative to the shaft and said frame to yieldingly resist turning of the shaft in a given direction; a segmented gear fixed to said vertical shaft for rotation therewith; a speed reduction gear train carried by the frame including a first gear disposed for meshing engagement with said segmented gear; a star gear rotatable with said gear train; and a bifurcated element pivotally mounted on the frame in position for alternating engagement of its end portions with spaced apart teeth on aid star wheel.
 12. A game apparatus comprising: a housing having a platform with a circular slot formed therein; circular track means mounted in said slot for rotation therein and having an upstanding support member; a target removably mounted on said upstanding support member; selectively variable drive means associated with the track means for rotating the track means and moving the target relative to said platform at different rates of speed; scoring means mounted on the housing including a horizontal elongated member mounted over the platform at the same height as the target perpendicular to the track means being movable between a normally retracted position away from the target path of travel and a striking position intersecting the target path of travel and selectively operable control means operably connected to the horizontal member for moving said horizontal member from a retracted position to a striking position whereby a moving target is knocked off the support member; and stop means for stopping the movement of a moving target including a vertical shaft rotatably mounted on said platform and a blocking element extending horizontally from the vertical shaft a distance sufficient to intersect the target path of travel and being movable between a normally neutral position when the blocking element is away from the target path of travel and a blocking position when the blocking element is intersecting the target path of travel, said stop means further including a spring wound timer mechanism beneath said platform associated with the vertical shaft to rotate the stop means from a neutral to a blocking position after a given amount of time.
 13. The game apparatus of claim 12 wherein the track means has gear teeth formed on the bottom thereof and said drive means includes a horizontal shaft mounted for rotation inside the housing below the track means and a pinion gear secured to the horizontal shaft for rotation therewith and being disposed for meshing engagement with the gear teeth formed on the bottom of the track means, said horizontal shaft having a crank portion extending out of the housing to rotate the pinion gear whereby the track means and the target are moved relative to the platform.
 14. The game apparatus of claim 12 wherein said scoring means further includes a vertical elongated member joining the horizontal member at the end opposite the contact end and extending downwardly therefrom, said vertical member forming with the horizontal member an inverted L-shaped member, said L-shaped member being pivotally mounted on said housing whereby movement of the control means pivots the horizontal member from a retracted to a striking position.
 15. The game apparatus of claim 14 wherein said control means includes an elongated hOrizontal control member pivotally mounted in the housing having one end extending outside the housing and the other end supporting the L-shaped member at the free end of the vertical member whereby pivoting of the control member causes pivoting of the L-shaped member from a retracted to a striking position.
 16. The game apparatus of claim 15 wherein the vertical member has a downwardly canted portion extending therefrom resting on the end of the control member, whereby the horizontal member is allowed to remain in a striking position a short period of time after actuation.
 17. The game apparatus of claim 12 wherein said timer mechanism includes: a frame below the platform rotatably supporting the vertical shaft; a coil spring encircling the vertical shaft and disposed relative to the shaft and said frame to yieldingly resist turning of the shaft in a given direction; a segmented gear fixed to said vertical shaft for rotation therewith; a speed reduction gear train carried by the frame including a first gear disposed for meshing engagement with said segmented gear; a star gear rotatable with said gear train; and a bifurcated element pivotally mounted on the frame in position for alternating engagement of its end portions with spaced apart teeth on said star wheel. 